Chapter 7 - A Promise
“AAAOOOOOOWWWW” the Hollow Aki made another sickening scream. She. It? You did know what to think anymore. You just knew you needed to run, to catch up with Aki, ….. and Jushiro.
He seemed to float on the rooftops. Jumping over the gaps between houses with effortless agility, focused solely on hunting his prey. the Hollow Aki made her way thru the streets, Slinking forward and back between buildings. You were grateful it wasn’t day time, not many people were out right now.
You followed at a human’s pace, slower, plagued by fear. You a witness and an architect to the horror unfolding before you. The reason Aki stayed so long in the world of the living and the reason she became a Hollow. What could you do knowing this?
You could fight. You could stand up, vow that no one would know the pain that you had, that no one would suffer.
Your run picked up speed. Matching the Hollow Aki, catching up, you were so close, so close you could hear her run, hear her breath as she huffed during her run. You couldn’t let her hurt anyone, you wouldn’t forgive yourself. Jushiro had told you that she turned because of you. You couldn’t let her cause any pain.
“AKI!!!!” you screamed, “Don’t do this, you’re a good person!!”
“y/f/n! what are you doing!” Jushiro yelled from a rooftop, “you’re going to get yourself hurt!”
You didn’t care, all that mattered in your brain was the Hollow Aki. You could……almost……..touch her. You stretched out, fingers brushing against her skin.
“AAAOOOOOOWWWW” She screamed, quickly turning to face you. “y/f/n, you smell…”
Her statement was cut off. Jushiro stood in front of you, sword out, an arc of light between him and the Hollow Aki. She screamed, clutching her shoulder before turning away from you and Jushiro.
Jushiro turned towards you, concern etched on his fair features.
“Y/f/n, what do you think you are doing? You need to let me handle this, Aki is not what she was before. You can’t do anything else”
“Jushiro! You said that this was my problem, that I caused her to be this way. I have to help her! I have to make sure that she doesn’t go away. She is good, I know she’s doesn’t look it right now, but she is! She is a child, you can’t kill her!”
“Y/f/n! I am not going to kill her, I’m going to release her. She is in pain, it’s my job as a soul reaper to help her. Let me do this!”
The Hollow Aki stood and began to run again, trying to gain as much space between the three of you. You and Jushiro ran after her. Jushiro effortless and agile, you struggling and out of breath. You caught up with her again. Jushiro leapt into battle, swiping and striking at the Hollow, she, giving an equal amount of attacks. You stood helpless, not knowing what you could do.
If you could only make the talisman work again, having access to that kind of power but unable to actually make the transformation happen was maddening. You watched the delicate ballet again. Jushiro was keeping his own against the Hollow Aki, until she made a blind strike, a lucky punch
He flew, lifeless thru the air, landing in a building. Smoke and dust. Aki stalked towards the rubble,
“AKI!” You screamed, “Don’t do this, you’re good, you’re not this……this thing! You can be better, AKI!?!”
She turned, “That’s not my name anymore, little human. I AM THE HUNTER, I exist to end those that caused me pain, FEAR ME, COWER BEFORE ME” She punctuated this declaration with another yell.
Tears formed on your face, to hear so plain a decree, it broke your heart. Flashes of the girl you knew came in front of your eyes, the sweet girl, the sad girl. You sank to the ground, fearing there was nothing that you could do.
“You smell good,” Ak- no the Hunter stood before you, “I think before I’m going to visit my family, I’m going to deal with you, after all you did take such….good….care….of….me.”
You cried in earnest as the Hunter came closer, pressure pushing down around you, you’d never see Jushiro again, you’d never see Aki again and it was all your fault
No, you would, you had too, it wasn’t your fault. You would make this right. You had too. You looked up defiantly at the creature looming before you. Tear stained face hardened and resolute in the face of certain death.
“Aki, I will not let you hurt anyone else, you will stop this…..right….now!” A spark inside of you came alive, the knowledge of what you were became clear, how to access your powers. Tears and blood, that’s what triggered your transformation, that’s what gave you access to your powers. You ripped the talisman from your neck, tears overflowing your eyes.
Blood, you needed blood. You looked at your hand, without thinking bit your thumb. Mixing blood with your tears,
The familiar and terrifying power came over you again, filling you with its warm light. You raised your fist, the sword forming again. You swung at the approaching hallow. Force and illumination igniting the air.
The Hunter staggered back, clutching it’s side, sticky black blood dripping from between her fingers and dropping to one knee.
You rushed to Jushiro, shaking him. “Jushiro, are you okay?”
“Y/f/n? What happened, why are you a Saisei again? Where’s Aki?”
“You got hit, I figured out how to transform, and Aki’s calling herself The Hunter now.” You did you best to not sound too panicked as you spoke in the ancestral voice again. Jushiro stood shakily, leaning on you for support.
“Jushiro, how can I touch you? How is any of this happening?”
“Y/f/n, I don’t have any answers, but we can figure them out together, later. Right now I need you to go back home. I can finish this, you needn’t do anymore.”
“I’m going to help you!” Your face was set with determination. Jushiro sighed, he knew that there was going to be no convincing you that this was something to leave for him.
“If you’re going to come with me, you’re going to have to do as I say, and only as I say!”
Both of you turned towards the Hollow Aki again. She was struggling to get back on her feet, your strike causing her more pain than would she had expected. She looked at you and screamed,
“AAAOOOOOOWWWW!!!! THEY SENT ME AWAY!! THEY DIDN’T WANT ME!! THEY WANTED TO KILL ME!!” With each statement she punctuated the air with a swipe of massive claws.
You and Jushiro easily dodged the attacks, deflecting them with your swords. Jushiro struck and took an arm from the Hunter, you capturing a hand. The Hunter screamed, pain and torment mixed together to make a soul-wrenching sound. She sank before you, in pain, in despair.
Jushiro arrived next to you, you turned “What do we do now?” You asked, tears forming once again. Hoping he would have some magical way to avoid what you knew was coming next.
“Hollow Cleansing, the purification of souls. Aki will be at peace”
“Break her mask from top to bottom, breaking the hold of the Hollow, allowing her to move from this place”
“The Soul Society, a place of peace, where Aki can be free again, no more pain and no more strife” Jushiro flipped his sword around, he raised his arm,
“STOP!” The words came from your mouth before you had a chance to think of why you were say them. “Let me do it,” you paused, “Can I?” You looked at your sword, hoping for some indication it was similar to Jushiro’s
“You can do it, y/f/n. You did it the first time we met, with the Hollow that was attacking me”
You moved towards The Hunter, who was struggling to breathe, you knelt. Bringing the sword over your head, you cut down with all the strength you had, wishing it would be enough. “Forgive me, Aki” you whispered. You brought your arms down.
That sound…..that sound of bone being sliced, and then……then it was quiet. You opened your eyes, shimmers around you.
In the center, Aki, pink haired and smiling. “Thank you, Miss y/f/n.” she walked up to you and placed her arms around you, you were shocked, you could feel her, feel the sensation of arms holding tight to you neck. You let go of your sword and hugged her back fiercely.
“Aki, I’m so sorry, so very sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I didn’t want you to become this” You stroked her hair as you spoke.
“It’s okay, I am so glad that I got to know you, and you are a really nice lady, Miss y/f/n. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But, I have to go now”
As you spoke with her, the sky broke open and a ray of shimmering light poured out. A sign, and a welcome for Aki, her time on this plane was over.
“Aki, do you remember your promise to me? Please tell me you remember!”
Aki looked confused, “I’m sorry I don’t remember. What was it?”
Your heart became lead, “Don’t worry,” you faked a smile, “it doesn’t matter now anyway. Go, be at peace”. You let go of Aki, pushing her slightly towards the light.
Aki walked apprehensively to the light, turning to you when she got to the edge, “Miss y/f/n, will you come and play with me there?” Fear was evident in her eyes as she looked to you to be her support right now.
The tears would no longer be held back anymore,
“I would like that.” With these words, Aki walked into the light, as the light began to shimmer and fade around her, she turned to you and mouthed something. Something you couldn’t hear but knew what she was saying all the same.
With that, Aki disappeared from this plane and from your life. You screamed, falling to your knees, allowing all the pain, hurt, and anguish wash over you. Jushiro knelt beside you, Wrapping his arms around you and pulling you close. Clove and vanilla. You cried in his arms for what felt like an eternity. As the sun began to break over the horizon, he wiped your tears away. Jushiro’s gentle voice broke the seemingly unending silence,